


won't know what we know

by cpiel



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Light Swearing, M/M, Sunsets, They aren't married, idk i got feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 17:56:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8905885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cpiel/pseuds/cpiel
Summary: he does not know how to exist without the other by his side.





	

**Author's Note:**

> take a fucking sip babes bc this is kind of "i started a sentence and hoped i found the rest along the way"  
> i love my gay dads tho wtf
> 
> hope you enjoy!!
> 
> all lowercase is intentional

link can remember, distinctly, the day that they met. it always feels like he’s just watching his favorite scene of a movie over and over again; the part where the two main characters meet and the audience just _knows_ it’s key to the plot. there’s no movie without it. he does not know how to exist without the other by his side.

 

rhett shot up like a weed at some point, putting link at chest height. he literaly has to look up to meet his gaze. it’s oddly comforting, though, because on the few occasions they hug it’s like the piece of the puzzle he’s missing, the taller boy’s head resting on his.

they film the wedding bomb threat newssical, when suddenly they have to kiss through the glass. link isn’t really nervous; theyve done worse before but when he can basically _feel_ rhett’s mouth his brain stops for a moment before going into overdrive. rhett pulls away first and his body is frozen for a moment before he pulls away too. the grin on his face has grown and time slows down before he pipes up again with, “you know what time it is.”

later that day, as they’re leaving the studio, rhett claps him on the shoulder.

“i had fun today,” he says, hand resting where it landed. link feels like he’s on fire, brain still hazy.

“i did too. i’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

that night when he gets to his apartment he lies in bed, staring at the ceiling like it’ll give him some kind of answer. nothing comes, though. when he finally falls asleep he dreams of a familiar set of hands on his waist while soft lips kiss his neck.

 

there’s one episode with rabbit lightning where they talk about crushes and being near them. he can’t remember which one, exactly, but he he recognized the situation. now, they hold their hands out and their hands touch. it’s a moments where someone flashes back to something incredibly monumental, the video blazing through his mind.  

“i felt electricity,” link states before he can catch himself. he blinks for a moment, realizing that _maybe_ this is deeper than he realized. rhett glances at him briefly but they move on before link can fully process what happened.

 

it happens again, the dream getting more vivid and more intimate. it feels like being submerged in a warm bath; your muscles relax and any kind of worry is gone for now. the figure (link knows full and well who it is, but he can’t say it. not yet) stands behind him, arms wrapped around him. he can smell mint and firewood, something like home. something like rhett.

 

it feels like he’s dying in the worst way possible. carpooling nearly every morning is like hell. work feels like a death sentence, especially when he has to sit right next to his best friend who he’s having wet dreams about like a fucking teenager. sometimes rhett will look over at him in just the right way and suddenly link can’t breathe, like someone’s knocked the air out of his lungs. their arms will brush or one of them will lean in and the world stops spinning. his life has turned into the shitty high school romance dramas except for it’s a lot more questioning of the sexualities of everyone involved. rhett is the popular jock and link is the nerdy girl who can’t speak to him without blushing.

 

it works out that rhett invites him to go camping right as he was planning to retreat to deal with his feelings over the holiday. link knows he has to accept because, well, he doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. he figures that a small 3 day trip can’t hurt, right? right.

 

they take seperate cars, thankfully, meeting at their favorite spot. the small river nearby lulls softly. the scene is almost perfect, the evening sunset creating a masterpiece across the sky. shades of pink and orange blended together to perfection. rhett looks stunning in this light, too, the soft pastels illuminating his tanned skin.

 

“you want one?” he offers, holding a can of beer out to link. it isn’t his drink of choice, but he figures he needs it at this point. their fingers brush as he accepts the drink.

 

“i’m glad you’re here, man. i didn’t think you’d come,” rhett states, gazing off into the distance. he still wears a smirk that fits him like a tailor made suit.

 

“w-what? why wouldn’t i?” he asks.

 

“you’ve been avoiding me. i’m not sure why.” the silence that follows is deafening.

 

“rhett, i promi-” his hand is engulfed by a larger one, fingers intertwining in a rare moment of tenderness.

 

“don’t worry about it. just be with me now.” link blushes, face lit aflame by the wording. he would move his hand but it feels so _nice_ there. he takes a long sip from his can, finding himself desperately hoping again for some kind of “in love with your longtime best friend” guide to fall out. the alcohol is already working on him (he’s always been a lightweight.) it feels like he’s being suffocated by his feelings, the unbearable weight of repression bearing down on him.

 

link brings a hand to his face, feeling rain. _weird_ , he thinks, _the sky isn’t grey. there aren’t any clouds._ rhett’s thumb wipes a drop away.

 

“are you alright? you’re crying,” he hears his friend ask.

 

“what?” his mind is still racing from the touch. _he’ll never love you back. who are you kidding?_

 

the rain falls harder.

 

rhett moves into view, brushing link’s hair out of his eyes. his expression grows more concerned as link blushes, ears going red. he can’t stare at rhett for too long; looking at him is like being able to see after being blind.

 

theres a pause before he speaks up again. “link.” rhett says it so softly that he feels like he might actually shatter. he stands up abruptly, the other man pulling back quickly. his tears stain the dirt.

 

“i love you! fuck, i love you so much that it hurts,” he yells throwing his arms up. rhett is still on the ground, staring, dumbfounded. link paces, running his hands through his hair. “i see you and it’s like i can’t breathe. shit, man.” he usually doesn’t swear this much, but he figures the situation calls for it.

 

rhett stands up slowly, approaching him like an injured animal. “link,” he breathes, towering over him.

 

“wha-” he’s cut off by a chaste kiss, warm hands seeking his jaw. _oh. that’s what it feels like._ he’s never been kissed like this before, to find someone who melts into him and fits like they were built for each other.

 

it’s hard to pull away, but link simply has to make sure that this isn’t some dream. his friend is still there, beaming at him like the sun. “i was waiting for you to tell me.”

 

he actually laughs at this, the reality he’d made of a one-sided feeling coming crashing down around him. “what, you knew?”

 

“i had a feeling. i was just waiting for the right moment to say something.” their hands intertwine. damn, it’s cheesy, but the romance novel moments have always gotten to him.

 

“i’m really, really glad you did.”

 

“i am too.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr at smalldogmemes.tumblr.com !


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